What are free radicals?

Free radicals, antioxidants and anti-ageing: What’s the story?

Free radicals are damage causing agents. They roam around the body, harming otherwise healthy cells. This includes skin-firming collagen. They’re manufactured in our bodies and formed by oxygen-using chemical reactions. But they’re also unleashed by external factors like pollution, exposure to UV rays, pesticides and cigarette smoke. Antioxidants stop these skin-ageing molecules by effectively pairing off with them and stopping them in their tracks.

Intercepting free radicals is what makes antioxidants such powerful anti-aging ingredients. They reduce inflammation, repair DNA damage, allow the skin to build more collagen and improve its ability to heal. Regardless of how free radicals occur, the best way to slow down their damaging effects is via antioxidants.